San Jose: Woman charged with pocketing deposits from potential renters answering her ad on Craiglist

Bay City News Service

Posted:
05/02/2014 05:48:47 PM PDT

Updated:
05/02/2014 05:48:47 PM PDT

SAN JOSE -- A 47-year-old woman was charged Friday with pocketing the deposits of people who answered her Craigslist ad to rent her condominium in San Jose, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.

Monique Geraldine Morris was arraigned in Superior Court in San Jose on three counts of grand theft and one count of attempted grand theft, Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Conners said.

Morris was arrested Thursday by the district attorney's office and remains in custody at the Elmwood Correctional Facility for Women in Milpitas on $150,000 bail, according to Conners said.

According to prosecutors, Morris used Craigslist to offer rooms in her condominium or the entire unit for rent. The condominium is at 928 Catkin Court in a tree-lined complex in San Jose.

She would give prospective renters a tour of the condo, then get them to sign a lease and leave a deposit of about $2,000, Conners said.

"The ad would stay up and she'd turn around and sign another person up," Conners said.

At least three couples gave her their deposits, including one that handed it to her in cash, but she never returned the money to them, Conners said.